Chicago White Sox - TeamReport

September 20, 2012|Reuters

MLB Team Report - Chicago White Sox - INSIDE PITCH

It has been one of the worst kept secrets for the White Sox front office, but whispers of it have now turned into screams, thanks to a USA Today story that reported Ken Williams will be promoted to team president, while assistant Rick Hahn will take over the general manager post Williams has held since October 2000.

Williams sent an email to writers about the topic before the Thursday's night game, doing his best to put the fire out.

"No one's 2013 status, not even mine, will be discussed while we are singularly focused on winning a championship and more immediately, (Thursday night's) game," Williams wrote.

Williams was at Kauffman Stadium for the White Sox's 4-3 loss to the Royals, and he was asked directly by reporters about the story. He refused to address the matter.

However, the writing has been on the wall for some time. The White Sox have no president of baseball operations in their organization, so it's a new title. Also, it's a title that Williams has wanted, stating numerous times that he would love to be able to have some of the baseball decisions but not have to deal with the media or the grind that the GM job entails.

The model of what Williams wanted was demonstrated last offseason, when Theo Epstein was hired by the Cubs to be their president of baseball operations.

As far as Hahn, he has been groomed for the job for years. He had been handling most of the negotiations with agents -- another task that Williams grew tired of. Other strengths for Hahn are knowing the organization, since he's been around for 12 seasons, as well as knowing the ins and outs of the league's rule book when it comes to service time and other details that Williams didn't always seem as interested in.

The one weakness Hahn admittedly had was scouting, but the organization put an emphasis on improving that area over the past five years, and it was Hahn who was responsible for getting Philip Humber off the scrap heap.

Hahn has been atop the list of possible general managers for the past three years, and he will apparently get his shot in the organization he wanted to stay with all along.

As far as the news being a distraction to his team, the Sox did lose, keeping their AL Central lead over the Detroit Tigers at just two games, but the Royals have had their number all year long. Kansas City went 12-6 against Chicago to dominate the season series.

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MLB Team Report - Chicago White Sox - NOTES, QUOTES

--1B/DH Paul Konerko was held out of the starting lineup due to back soreness. The good news was that manager Robin Ventura didn't deem the injury serious, so Konerko could be in the starting lineup Friday against the Angels. "I don't know if it's real bad, but it's enough that he needs a day," Ventura said. "It's been off and on. Lately, it's been happening a little more."

Konerko had started every game since missing eight in mid-August with a concussion.

"You don't want to miss any games," Konerko said. "I certainly don't want to miss any, but at the same time, you've got 13, 14, 15 games left. I think it would be a better thing if you're getting one and then playing from here on out than playing all of them and having it catch up with you."

--3B Kevin Youkilis was dropped from the No. 2 spot in the order Thursday. The veteran was in an 0-for-11 slump over his past three games, and he was hitting .133 (8-for-60) over his last 17 games. Manager Robin Ventura moved CF Dewayne Wise into the No. 2 spot, but he said that it was by no means a permanent change. Youkilis went 1-for-4 from the No. 6 spot, while Wise was 0-for-4 in the loss to the Royals.

--RHP Gavin Floyd has a track record, and that's exactly what had pitching coach Don Cooper and manager Robin Ventura a bit concerned, as Floyd has twice in the previous three seasons been unable to finish a regular season because of injuries. But he has come off the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a right elbow injury and had two outings in which he's looked to be climbing, and that has Ventura optimistic. In his Tuesday start against Kansas City, Floyd went seven innings and needed just 78 pitches in the win. "Yeah, it's a little sharper," Ventura said. "You watch him throw, and it looks different. You see his mannerisms on the mound, and he looks confident when he gets the ball back, like he's in control of what he's doing."

--RHP Jake Peavy's $22 million option for 2013 won't be picked up by the White Sox, CBS Sports reported. According to the report, Peavy will receive a $4 million buyout and become a free agent after the season. The 31-year-old veteran has come back well from a shoulder injury to post a 3.26 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 198 innings, though his record is 11-11 for the first-place White Sox.